Thursday, December 20, 2012

Things have been very busy for a while, so apologies for not posting as often as I'd like; I'm still getting the hang of using my new 'tablet' but am so pleased with myself for being able to have paid for it with my Selkie money! I'd never have thought that I'd be doing that well with all this!!

Having been VERY good lately and not buying any new yarns I kind of had a moment of weakness...Black Sheep Wools were doing 'free international shipping' (as well as running a sale!) so I had a splurge! This will keep me going for months I think!!

The black Patons smoothie is for a custom order for Jana's son - black long wrist warmers and a 'net' scarf - can't wait to get started on it but I'm in the middle of a pair of 4-ply wrist warmers so I want to get them finished first.

The craft fairs I've done lately have been pretty successful - but the last one was in Dromid on Sunday (from 2-5pm) and I didn't sell a single solitary stitch! It was so disappointing but I guess it's just one of those things -- at least the other ones had gone alright and my Etsy shop is doing fine (though it's pretty quiet right now..)

Like this time last year I'm back to trying to get my 'shop' restocked after the holiday rush -- I've got 49 items listed right now; it's funny, through the rest of the year I think 'Oh I've got too much in my shop' but then all of a sudden it seems to disappear!

----stopping this post short to go and watch tv ('Eastenders'!) and to have a glass of wine -- will hopefully continue later or in the next few days....

Saturday, December 8, 2012

This is the first blog post I've written on my brand new Google Nexus tablet! It won't have photos or anything swish but it's just so cool to be able to post this while I am snuggled on the sofa with Peter :-)

I've tried really hard to save up my 'selkie' money this year - by not keeping buying wool as soon as something sells in my Etsy shop or at a craft fair and so I've been able to buy most of my Christmas presents with my selkie savings and was able to treat myself to this awesome piece of technology!

It'll take me a while to get the hang of it all but isn't technology amazing??

Sunday, December 2, 2012

Drat it, I had meant to write a third update on my blog in November, but now it's the 2nd December already...time really flies!

I had been a bit apprehensive about my shop on Etsy, and was worrying that sales would be seriously down this year; but of course I was worrying about nothing (as is often the case) -- the month of November was great in my shop! I even took $150 more in sales this year compared to last November (and I was really happy with how things went last November)

It's great - I'm really thrilled, I never thought I would ever be this much of a success with my crochet, and in such a relatively short period of time.

I did a craft fair in the Tech down the road yesterday and it was SO
successful -- best of all was seeing lots of people walking around
wearing my wrist warmers and cuffs :o) I decided to keep a pair of the
wrist cuffs for myself and was wearing them at the fair, and I think
that really helped me get some sales. The ones I kept are these

-- the deepest richest purple, with a blend of baby alpaca and mulberry silk -- heaven! I even had a woman offer to buy them but they are MINE now!

I also had a craft fair over the previous weekend - the Holistic and Wellness Fair in the Royal on Valentia. It was pretty quiet but I didn't do too badly and would be interested in taking part when they hold another one next year (in February, in Tralee)

I've been really good and kept a list that weekend and yesterday of everything that sold at the fairs -- it isn't like me to be so organised, but it really helps to keep track of how much €€€ I've made and makes it easier when I'm re-activating my listings to put them back up on my Etsy shop.

Phew! It's been wonderful -- and next Sunday I'm off to Valentia again for another craft fair! Then the following week there's one in Dromid, which would be nice to go to too...that's if I have any stock left - ha ha!

I'm working hard to get some more wrist warmers made for these craft fairs (and for my Etsy shop too) -- I thought I nearly had too much stock; but it doesn't look like it right now (this is a wonderful complaint though!)

As well as trying to build up some stock I've got a list of 'commissions' for people, and also I'm making cotton/bamboo bags for two of my nieces for Christmas, which I need to get on with!